Bowlers shine in first trial match

The bowlers came up trumps in Trinidad and Tobago’s first practice match ahead of the 2014 50-over season, a low-scoring affair at Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain yesterday with batsmen struggling to put runs on the board.

Team A cruised to an easy seven-wicket win in just 25.5 overs, in a match reduced to 40 overs due to early morning showers, which kept the players off the field.

Team B, featuring Kjorn Ottley, Steven Katwaroo, Yannick Ottley, Yannic Cariah, Sherwin Ganga and Marlon Richards, were put in to bat first and could only muster 108 off 36.3 overs. Team A replied with 109 for three off 25.5 overs to win by seven wickets.

The top score from Team A came from Ranga Lachana, who hit 28 before he was caught by wicketkeeper Nicholas Pooran off the bowling of Ricky Jaipaul with the score on 71 for five.

Yannick Ottley (20), Petrock Nicholas (12) and Yannic Cariah (11 not out) were the only other batsmen to make double figures, as Pooran held on to five catches behind the stumps.

For Team A, Kevon Cooper (two for 17), Navin Stewart (two for 25), Samuel Badree (two for 24), Ricky Jaipaul (two for 21) and Derone Davis (two for eight) all took two wickets each.

Left-arm pacer Tevin Robertson was the only bowler from Team A to go wicket-less, but he was economical, conceding just 12 runs in his five overs, which included one maiden, helping to put pressure on the batsmen.

When Team A batted, Justin Guillen and Adrian Barath put on 36 runs for the first wicket to set the platform for the successful chase.

Guillen made 22 before he was trapped lbw by his Queen’s Park Cricket Club teammate Daron Cruickshank.

Cariah dismissed Barath for 23 in the 15th over with the score on 55, before Cruickshank struck again in the next over to send back another Parkite in Jonathan Augustus for six to give Team B some hope of defending their small total.

But an unbeaten 51-run stand between Jason Mohammed (23 not out) and Imran Khan (25 not out) ensured victory for their team.

The players will be back at the Oval tomorrow for the second trial match bowling off 9.30 a.m.